Right to Information ends steno’s 27-year wait for transfer

LUCKNOW: An employee of the irrigation department Shikha Saran, who had been 'stuck' in one department for 27 years due to alleged gender bias and indiscrimination of seniors, finally got justice after pleading her case before the state information commission.

When state information commissioner Arvind Singh Bisht cracked the whip, the irrigation department transferred Shikha from the mechanical to the civil cell of the department on November 3 this year.

However, Shikha's ordeal did not end here. Now, the hapless employee, who is on the post of stenographer, is allegedly being harassed by her seniors for dragging them to the state information commission.

However, Shikha is all set to take up the case once again before SIC Bisht to narrate her daily ordeal.

"SIC Arvind Singh Bisht ensured justice to me after a long wait of 27 years. After the SICs firm order, I was transferred from the mechanical cell, where I had been stuck for 27 years, to the civil cell of the department on November 3 this year," Shikha told HT.

"But this transfer has led to another ordeal for me at the hands of my seniors," she added. "Now, no matter what, I will again put my case before the SIC," she asserted.

The technical cell of the irrigation department has two sub cells - mechanical and civil. Posting in the civil cell is considered to be lucrative as employees here carry out technical evaluation of projects of the irrigation department.

For the past 27 years, Shikha Saran was in the mechanical cell with not a single posting to the civil cell. However, during this period many of her colleagues got regular postings to the civil cell.

During this long phase of 27 years, Shikha made several representations to her seniors, state government and even the women's commission, but to no avail.

On January 5, 2014, Shikha filed an RTI application with the irrigation department seeking details of transfer policy and reasons for denying her transfer.

When Shikha did not get any reply, she filed first appeal with the irrigation department on March 24, 2014. But all her efforts were in vain.

Finally, Shikha filed the second appeal with SIC Arvind Singh Bisht on January 28 this year. The case came up for the first hearing before the SIC on August 28 this year.

Sensing seriousness of the issue and long wait of 27 years just to get one transfer, SIC Bisht issued an order to the irrigation department to transfer Shikha from mechanical to the civil cell.

On the second hearing of the case on November 3 this year, SIC Bisht hauled up senior offi- cials of the irrigation department for denying transfer to Shikha.

Passing a stern directive, Bisht ordered officials of the irrigation department, who were present during hearing, to issue Shikha's transfer order the same day and gave them five hours to complete the paper work.

With no option, officials of the irrigation department completed all formalities and presented Shikha's transfer order before the SIC late in the evening on November 3.

"Shikha's case was special as the woman faced indiscrimination for 27 years. It was a serious issue and I had to pass a stern order to the irrigation department to ensure justice, "Bisht told HT.